It's time to replace
the old system
with something you own.
We built your current HR and absence platform. We know it inside out. And we're telling you honestly — the technology it runs on has reached end of life. This is the right moment to upgrade to a modern, purpose-built platform that belongs to onCORE, not to a subscription.
Your current system is running on
end-of-life technology.
We built your existing HR and absence management platform and we have a responsibility to be transparent with you. The PHP runtime it depends on reached official End of Life on 31 December 2025. The risks are not theoretical — they are already active.
Known vulnerabilities are now being published with no upstream patches available. Attackers actively scan for EOL PHP installations. Your system is currently exposed.
Unpatched Security Vulnerabilities
12 new PHP vulnerabilities were published in 2025 alone. None will receive official patches. Your staff data, holiday records, and absence logs are held in a system that can no longer be secured through normal channels.
Hosting Provider Forced Migration
Hosting providers are actively removing EOL PHP versions. Your host may force a server upgrade at any time, breaking the application entirely — causing unplanned downtime with no warning and no recourse.
Framework & Plugin Breakage
Laravel and its ecosystem have already dropped PHP 8.1 support. Any routine dependency update could trigger incompatibility and break core functionality of the platform.
GDPR & Compliance Exposure
Running unsupported software that holds employee personal data creates a measurable GDPR compliance risk. In the event of a breach, running EOL software would be an aggravating factor with the ICO.
Rising Maintenance Cost
Keeping a legacy PHP application running as its dependencies age requires increasingly specialist intervention. Each fix becomes more expensive. Maintenance costs will exceed replacement costs within 12–18 months.
Feature Frozen
No new features can be safely added to the legacy system without risk of breaking existing functionality. You are paying for a static system that is actively degrading in security posture.
⏰ What Happens If You Do Nothing — Next 6–18 Months
- Vulnerabilities accumulate with no patches
- Hosting provider may issue PHP upgrade notice
- SSL renewal could trigger server reconfiguration exposing version issues
- Composer package dependencies begin failing updates
- Hosting provider removes PHP 8.1 support, forcing emergency migration
- Risk of unplanned downtime during a working week
- Emergency migration by a senior developer costs £9,000–£19,500 with no guarantee of outcome
- Data integrity risks during migration
- Staff disruption and no new features throughout
- Replace now, on your terms, with a planned migration to a modern platform you own
- Same investment, zero emergency risk, and a platform that grows with you
Four screens that show you
exactly what you'd own.
High-fidelity designs built in onCORE's brand colours. These are not wireframes — they are production-quality designs showing the real screens your team would use every day.
Live Dashboard — Desktop
Real-time view of all 25–35 staff: clocked in, on break, absent, or on holiday. Geofence map, pending leave approvals, and one-click timesheet export. Replaces the current system's dashboard entirely.
Everything the current system does,
and everything it can't.
The new platform is delivered as two integrated modules. WorkClock HR replaces and improves on everything the current system provides. TradeForm is a new capability that eliminates paper delivery notes entirely.
WorkClock HR
Replaces your current system — and goes further
TradeForm
New capability — eliminates paper trade sign ups and more
The alternatives cost more
and give you less control.
Off-the-shelf HR platforms charge per user, per month, forever. You never own anything. The comparison below shows what onCORE would pay over 3 years versus building once and owning outright.
| Feature / Cost | Legacy System (Current) | BrightHR (SaaS) | DocuSign (SaaS) | New Platform (Sensigence) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £110/mo (£90 HR + £20 hosting) | ~£180–£300/mo (30 staff) | ~£60–£120/mo | £480/mo (support SLA) |
| Year 1 total | £1,320 | £2,160–£3,600 | £720–£1,440 | £30,400 build + £480/mo |
| Year 3 total | £3,960 | £6,480–£10,800 | £2,160–£4,320 | £30,400 + £17,280 |
| You own the software | No | No | No | Yes — full IP ownership |
| Custom to your workflow | Partial | No | No | Yes — built for onCORE |
| Clock in/out PWA | No | Yes (Blip add-on) | No | Yes — included |
| TradeForm / digital signatures | No | No | Yes (separate tool) | Yes — included |
| Single-site geofence | No | Yes | No | Yes — depot-optimised |
| Data on your terms | Partial | No (vendor lock-in) | No (vendor lock-in) | Yes — your database |
| Security risk | HIGH (EOL PHP) | Low | Low | Low (modern stack) |
| Extendable / customisable | No | No | No | Yes — unlimited |
Key insight: By Year 3, BrightHR alone costs £6,480–£10,800 with nothing to show for it. The new platform costs £47,680 over 3 years but you own the software outright, with no per-user fees, no vendor lock-in, and the ability to extend it indefinitely. The crossover point is approximately 18–24 months.
Immediate savings from
day one of go-live.
Replacing the legacy system eliminates £110/month in existing spend immediately. The three scenarios below show the financial position across Year 1, based on different assumptions about TradeForm efficiency gains.
Break-even vs. BrightHR equivalent at ~24 months
Platform pays for itself within 3 years including support
Positive ROI by Year 3 if customer portal is activated
Own your software.
Own your future.
Every SaaS subscription is a dependency. When vendors change pricing, discontinue features, or get acquired, you have no recourse. Owning your own platform eliminates that risk entirely.
Full IP Ownership
The source code, database schema, and all associated intellectual property belongs to onCORE from day one. No licensing fees, no usage limits, no vendor lock-in — ever.
Your Data, Your Control
All employee data, clock records, absence history, and signed documents are stored in your own database. You can export, migrate, or audit at any time without asking permission.
No Subscription Creep
SaaS platforms routinely increase prices by 10–25% per year. Your fixed support fee is agreed upfront and reviewed annually — no surprise invoices, no per-user charges as you grow.
Extend When You're Ready
Because you own the codebase, any new feature can be added at any time. Customer portal, delivery tracking, invoice integration — all possible without starting from scratch.
Security on Your Terms
Modern Node.js/React stack with regular dependency updates, automated security scanning, and a dedicated support SLA. No more running on EOL technology with no upgrade path.
Sensigence as Your Partner
We built the original system. We know your data, your workflows, and your team. This is not a handoff to a vendor — it is a continuation of an existing partnership with full accountability.
A platform that grows
with your business.
The platform is built to be extended. Beyond the core modules, there is a natural roadmap of features that would add value both internally for onCORE and externally for your customers — restaurants, pubs, hotels, and hospitality businesses who rely on you.
These are future options, not commitments. onCORE's focus is the core business — these are presented as evidence of long-term platform value, not as an immediate priority.
Internal Extensions
Features that add value for onCORE's own operations
Delivery Route Management
Assign drivers to routes, track delivery status in real time, and generate proof-of-delivery reports automatically from TradeForm data.
Supplier Document Portal
Extend TradeForm to handle inbound supplier agreements, compliance certificates, and food safety documentation — all digitally signed and stored.
Payroll Export Integration
Direct export of approved timesheets to Xero, Sage, or QuickBooks. Eliminates manual payroll data entry entirely.
HR Analytics Dashboard
Absence trends, Bradford Factor league tables, overtime analysis, and holiday utilisation reports — all from data already in the system.
Driver Mobile Hub
Extend the PWA to include route lists, customer contact details, delivery notes, and TradeForm completion — all in one app for drivers.
Customer-Facing Portal
A tool for onCORE's customers — restaurants, pubs, hotels, hospitality
onCORE's customers operate in a sector defined by tight margins, high staff turnover, and constant compliance pressure. A customer portal that helps them manage their relationship with onCORE — and reduces their own admin burden — creates a compelling reason to stay loyal and order more.
This is a commercialisation option for a later phase — not part of the initial build.
Online Order Portal
Customers place orders directly through a branded portal. Reduces phone/email order admin for both sides. Order history and repeat ordering built in.
Digital Delivery Confirmation
Customers receive and sign delivery notes digitally before the driver leaves. Disputes resolved instantly with timestamped, geotagged proof.
Account & Invoice Management
Customers view invoices, download statements, and track account balance. Reduces accounts receivable queries and payment delays.
Compliance Document Store
Food safety certificates, allergen declarations, and supplier provenance documents — all available to customers on demand for their own compliance needs.
Spend Analytics
Customers see their spend by category, week, and product. Helps them manage their own costs and increases their engagement with onCORE as a strategic partner.
One fixed price.
No surprises.
A single fixed-price build covers both modules, legacy data migration, and three months of post-launch support. The ongoing support fee replaces — and is comparable to — your existing legacy spend.
Your current legacy spend is £110/mo (£90 HR + £20 hosting). The support SLA is £480/mo but covers both modules, unlimited users, and full infrastructure — replacing multiple vendor relationships with one accountable partner.
Delivery Timeline — 16 Weeks from Sign-Off
- Requirements workshop
- Legacy data audit
- Migration plan sign-off
- Design system setup
- Clock in/out PWA
- Admin dashboard
- Absence & holiday module
- Timesheet generation
- PDF template engine
- Signature capture
- Document library
- Auto-dispatch system
- User acceptance testing
- Staff training
- Legacy data migration
- Go live & handover
Download the full
proposal package.
The complete set of documents supporting this proposal is available to download below. These are provided for onCORE's internal review and sign-off process.
Product Requirements Document
The full technical and functional specification for both modules — WorkClock HR and TradeForm. Covers architecture, feature requirements, user personas, non-functional requirements, and competitor landscape.
Download PDFSales & Pivot Document
The strategic case for upgrading from the legacy system to the new platform. Written for internal stakeholder review and board-level sign-off. Covers the business case, risk analysis, and value proposition.
Download PDFTime, Effort & Costings
Detailed breakdown of development effort by module and feature, with sprint planning, resource allocation, and full cost modelling across build and ongoing support phases.
Download PDFFour steps to
going live.
From agreement to go-live in 16 weeks. The process is straightforward and we handle everything — including migrating your existing data from the legacy system.
Scope Review Call
A 60-minute call to walk through this proposal, answer questions, and confirm the scope. No obligation.
Book a CallProposal Sign-Off
Review and sign the fixed-price proposal document. A 50% deposit confirms the start date.
Build & Migration
16-week build with weekly progress updates. Your legacy data is migrated in the final sprint.
Go Live & Handover
Staff training, go-live support, and full handover of source code and documentation.
Ready to talk?
Contact Craig at Sensigence to book your scope review call.